"And that is why I talk to you and not Raven," Autor says, nodding. Then he shrugs. "Well, that and I assume you are a lot more shiny and attention-catching than he is."

The boy tilts his head adopting an air of innocence like a sweet perfume. "Good heavens, is everything you say a lie? You bought me a drink and I've learned plenty of life lessons from you already. For example, 'If at first you don't succeed, you were wrong and that is amusing.' And also, 'Vampires are gross.' And then of course there's, 'romance novel cover models have no hair on their occasionally anatomically-incorrect chests.'"